


We'll Survive (You and I)

by Kuneymessi



Category: Men's Football RPF
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Author Is Sleep Deprived, Fluff and Angst, How Do I Tag, Hurt/Comfort, I Tried, Injury, Love, M/M, Self-Indulgent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-26
Updated: 2020-08-26
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:41:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,287
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26117398
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kuneymessi/pseuds/Kuneymessi
Summary: He'd been through this game before. But why doesn't the pain get any lesser?
Relationships: Mats Hummels/Marco Reus
Kudos: 12





	We'll Survive (You and I)

He was tired. 

Unlike what most people thought, he wasn't some great soul that could just keep getting back up. He had thought he had hit rock bottom when he had gotten injured just before the world cup. But damn it all, he felt worse right now. He had had a pretty good campaign if he said so himself. I mean they hadn't won, but he had had a good season. He had felt good when he had played. He had been flying. But it's as they say, the higher you fly, the harder you fall. 

—————––————————————–  
Mats wondered why he hadn't seen the big bang coming. Marco had always been like this. He never let anyone know when he was feeling anything but happy. He bottled all his frustrations up and when they exploded, it was never pretty. A notable example was right after the world cup. Mats knew Marco was proud of them for winning the competition. He had also suspected that Marco had felt dispensable. 

(He wasn't. Mats didn't have enough words to tell Marco how much he had been missed. He couldn't tell him of how Mario kept making passes to an empty spot near the edge of the box because that's exactly where Marco would have been. He couldn't tell him about how Thomas came up with new puns and kept looking around for him before realizing he wasn't there. He couldn't.) 

When they had returned from a successful campaign (Mats wanted to laugh. They had stopped Leo Messi and he was going to die proud of it), Marco was nowhere to be seen. He had texted them on their group, congratulating them. But no one had personally seen him. Everyone had been worried. 

Though Marco had affectionately named Mario 'Sunny', he was the true sunshine of the team. He had always been there for them. Ready to take one for the team and make sure that everyone was alright. Once Mats had jokingly asked him, "You take care of everyone else, what about you?" 

Marco hadn't looked him in the eyes, and had solemnly said "No one has to take care of me Matsy". He smiled sadly before going to get himself another beer. Mats had watched silently then. They had barely known each other back then, it hadn't felt right to delve deep into issues that Marco clearly didn't want to talk about. 

Mats knew that Marco would feel bad knowing that he had missed out on the tournament of his life. But he hadn't expected the scene that greeted him when he walked into Marco's house. 

The man in question looked worse for wear. It looked like he hadn't shaved for weeks, and the thing that worried him most was how thin Marco looked. Mats had then proceeded to not listen to anything Marco had 'said', pushed right through the man's door and silently demanded an explanation. 

Marco had floundered for a minute before quietly saying "I don't need anyone to take care of me". Mats swore under his breath and pulled Marco into a hug. He stiffened for a tense few seconds before relaxing into Mats. 

"I know you don't need anyone to take care of you. That doesn't mean you can't tell me what's going on in your head, idiot."

"Mats, you should be celebrating with the rest of them. Forget about me, you've just won the World Cup!" 

Mats only had to raise his eyebrows and wait. 

"I really am happy for you guys, you know. I just wish I had been there too." Marco gave out a rough laugh that made Mats want to cringe. But before he could say anything, Marco had pulled him into a tight hug. They had never spoken about it again.  
\---------------------------------------------------------

Mats had wondered for the longest of times how exactly he had fallen in love with Marco. Especially since he had sworn to never fall in love with a teammate after the entire shit show that went down with Benedikt. 

In retrospect, Mats didn't have to think too much. He loved everything about Marco. The way Marco always got back up after he fell, the way he never shied away from giving back to anyone who dared disrespect his friends, the way he never took shot from anyone. But perhaps the thing that made Mats love him the most was his ability to love. 

Marco's love wasn't all about big gestures. It was the subtle things- the way he always seemed to know when Mats' had had a terrible day and would silently curl up against him. The way he'd just slowly pull him into a waltz when he couldn't stop thinking. The way he'd insist on taking long drives to the outskirts because how far would people follow them? The way he'd openly kiss him because-- 

'Mats I love you and I never want to hide it. Not from anyone'.

Marco's love made him believe that if he ever tried take on the world, he would never ever walk alone. 

\---------------------------------------------------------  
Marco hadn't picked up his phone. He had instead let the stupid tune that Mats had made his ringtone play out. 

He didn't want to talk to anyone. Not Mario, not Auba and certainly not Mats. Mats was the love of his life. There was no doubt about it. But if he spoke to Mats anytime soon, he was liable to fall apart and good God he was tired of falling apart. 

No matter how many times he got injured, the pain never became less. All he wanted to do was play with his friends. Was that too much to ask for? He wasn't asking for world peace. Or ending global warming. All he wanted to do was play an entire season with his friends and his lover. He was so enraptured in his thoughts that he hadn't heard the front door open. Or Mats coming into his (their) room. In fact, he wouldn't have even realised but then- 

"Marco, love" 

Mats' voice was soft. As though he was talking to a frightened child who'd run away given the opportunity. There was a blessed moment of silence before Marco spoke, "Mats. Please." 

Mats had merely walked closer and attempted to hug the smaller blonde man when he had moved back. 

"I can't keep doing this. All I want to do is play, Mats. Please." 

Marco had steeled himself hours ago. This was not anything new. He was always injured and fuck it he wasn't going to cry- yet, his shoulders shook. His vision grew blurry and his throat tightened. There was a short moment of silence, before gut wrenching sobs tore through his chest. 

It must have been quite a sight, to see the mostly self-assured man hunched at the corner of the room, sobbing his heart out. 

Suddenly, Mats was everywhere around him. Gently pulling him into himself and rocking the two of them. 

"It's going to be okay, love. You'll be fine."  
He kept up the mantra for what seemed like ages as Marco slowly calmed down. His tears had come to a stop, but his gears had not. 

"Why me? Matsy, Why? Why?" 

Marco's chin wobbled but he knew that there were no answers. Yet, as Mats calmly pressed lazy kisses on his forehead, Marco felt a certain sense of peace that had evaded him for a while. 

"You need to stop thinking so much, Marcinho," Mats said softly rapping on his head. "Yeah, this isn't ideal, but you'll get back up. You always do."

\---------------------------------------------------------

It hadn't been easy. Recovery was tough. But Mats had stood by his side. Hadn't let him give up on himself. No matter what, they'd always be there for each other.

**Author's Note:**

> please let me know if there are any mistakes. this is just indulgent because i really am not feeling i t.
> 
> enjoy :)


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